Typical routers use a switch fabric to exchange packets between blades. As the number of blades increases in typical routers, the capacity of the switch fabric needs to increase as well. However, the capacity of switch fabric is inevitably limited. A scalability problem thus arises in typical routers as the number of blades increases. Examples of undesired consequences related to the scalability problem include, among others, energy consumption and heat dissipation. The present invention addresses at least some of the foregoing shortcomings related to typical routers.